When our little one was diagnosed w peanut allergy,
the doctor gave my daughter a list entitled: Examples
of words used on food labels. Under the section regarding
peanuts he lists: HYDROLYZED PLANT PROTEIN and HYDROLYZED VEGETABLE PROTEIN.
I have a particular Shepherd's Pie mix by Club House
that I like to use. In the list of ingredients I
see: HYDROLYZED SOY AND CORN PROTEIN.
Her allergy is only to peanuts.
Is this ok to use because she has no allergy to soy or corn?

hi, I would bet that the hydrolysed soy and corn would be fine....it would not contain peanut. I'm pretty sure anyway that in Canada companies can no longer use "hydrolysed protein" if it is peanut....even under the old rules, peanut was the one thing that had to be declared.

Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP), sometimes called Hydrolyzed Plant Protein (HPP), is a flavor enhancer used in anything from broths to meat products. It is created through a chemical process called acid hydrolysis (and sometimes enzymatic digestion). This process takes either corn, wheat, soybeans, cotton seed or peanuts and breaks them down into amino acids. This flavor enhancer simulates the taste of meats.

There are two kinds of HVP and HPP - light and dark. The light is often used in poultry, pork and vegetable products. The dark is found in products such as sauces, gravies, stews, processed meats and hot dogs. Some hydrolyzed vegetable (or plant) protein has MSG added to it for an extra non-nutritional boost. If you are allergic or intolerant to corn, wheat, soy, cotton seed, peanuts or monosodium glutamate (MSG), do not consume products containing HVP or HPP.

If you just see "hydrolyzed vegetable protein" - yes, I would stay away from it or call the manufacturer because you don't know the protein source (and could be peanut). In your case the label specifies "soy and corn" as the protein sources and not peanut so your product should be fine (apart from any peanut/nut cross-contamination concerns). If I understand correctly from the quote below, in Canada, manufacturers must specify if peanut is the protein source in "hydrolyzed plant protein" as your label does.

* In parentheses following the ingredient name in descending order of proportion by weight in the ingredient; or
* In descending order of proportion by weight in the finished food as if they were ingredients, without listing the ingredient itself.

Many foods, when used as ingredients in other foods, are exempt from a declaration of their components. (See Ingredients Exempt from Component Declaration, Annex 2-3 of this Guide.)

Certain food preparations and mixtures, including flavours and seasonings, when used as ingredients, are exempt from a declaration of most of their components. (See Component Declarations, Annex 2-4(a) of this Guide) The components which, if present, must be declared as if they were ingredients include salt, monosodium glutamate, hydrolyzed plant protein, aspartame, potassium chloride and any components which perform a function in, or have an effect on the final food, e.g., flavour enhancers. (See Component Declarations, Annex 2-4 of this Guide, sections (b) and (c).)

Allergic reactions: To assist consumers in avoiding the potentially serious consequences of allergic and sensitivity reactions to foods, the CFIA urges the inclusion of the following foods or their derivatives in food label ingredient lists when present as ingredients or components, even in those cases where these ingredients are otherwise exempted from declaration:

c) Components of Foods which Must ALWAYS Be Declared [B.01.009(4) and B.01.009(5)]

i) The following foods must always be listed by name in the list of ingredients when they are present in the foods listed in Annex 3 and the preparations and mixtures listed in table a) above.
1. peanut oil
2. hydrogenated peanut oil, including partially hydrogenated peanut oil, as per B.01.010 (14)
3. modified peanut oil
ii) Lysozyme from egg white must always be listed by name in the list of ingredients, including when present in cheese that makes up less than 10 percent of a prepackaged product (item 23, Annex 3) or in a sandwich made from bread. Lysozyme from egg white is permitted in "(naming the variety) cheese" and cheddar cheese [B.08.033, B.08.034].

So I half remembered this correctly...Looks like I was wrong about the hydrolysed peanut protein...interestingly, they don't say that hydrolysed peanut protein has to be declared...

AL magazine has an article about the *new* labelling guidelines...haven't read the article yet though.

I was just reading a pamphlet that I picked up at the Allergy Expo last year published by the Allergy Asthma Information Association ( www.aaia.ca ) and I misunderstood the CFIA's website (above). According to this pamphlet, current labelling laws DO NOT require manufacturers to label the source of "hydrolyzed vegetable protein". (It does add that it is rare to find HVP made from peanuts in Canadian products as it's usually made from soy, wheat or corn, but it can exist.) This will change when the new labelling laws come into effect (see Allergic Living's summer edition for article) that require manufuacturers to list the major allergenic foods when they are added to foods as ingredients or components no matter how small the quantity.

I was just reading a pamphlet that I picked up at the Allergy Expo last year published by the Allergy Asthma Information Association ( www.aaia.ca ) and I misunderstood the CFIA's website (above). According to this pamphlet, current labelling laws DO NOT require manufacturers to label the source of "hydrolyzed vegetable protein". (It does add that it is rare to find HVP made from peanuts in Canadian products as it's usually made from soy, wheat or corn, but it can exist.) This will change when the new labelling laws come into effect (see Allergic Living's summer edition for article) that require manufuacturers to list the major allergenic foods when they are added to foods as ingredients or components no matter how small the quantity.

Thanks Ethansmom.
When do the new labelling laws come into effect do you know?

It's a moving target, as speaker Marilyn Allen said to our support group in September...

It was thought (hoped?) that the new law would be in effect sometime this year, but it seems to be taking more time than expected. And to be honest, 2 years ago at the CSACI conference in Ottawa, I was told that the law would be in effect in a few months.

It would be nice if the new "clearer labelling" law would just be put into effect!

...new law would be in effect sometime this year, but it seems to be taking more time than expected. And to be honest, 2 years ago at the CSACI conference in Ottawa, I was told that the law would be in effect in a few months...

One thing I can do is write a letter - I'm a strong believer in pen-to-paper. Can you save me a few minutes? To which Department, with a name would be wonderful, shall I direct my first inquiry as to progress?

This project is a priority for Food Directorate of Health Canada. Health Canada is already painfully aware that we have not met past commitments to move on this project. There has been some delay due to changes in staffing and other resources available to the file; however I am pleased to say that there has been some very recent activity to address these issues and a refocus of resources to move this file ahead. Some tight deadlines have been set for completing the required supporting documents.

With completion of all the background work, the first step will be to prepublish the regualtory proposal in Canada Gazette Part I at which time there will be time set aside for a comment period. During this formal comment period, comments will be asked to be directed to:

We would be pleased to welcome any supportive comments during the comment period and in fact would encourage you to do so. Should you however feel the need to send comments in advance they may also be directed to Mr. Burke.

I just came across "hydrolyzed vegetable protein" in one of the new Philadelphia cream cheese dips I was looking at today. I was surprised to find no further description as to the source of the hydrolyzed plant protein - particularly from a large food manufacturing company. I realise this requirement does not yet exist for further description of the source of vegetable protein; however, it is pretty rare to find this vague description. Needless to say, I did not buy the dip.

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